Issues with Indoor Air Quality. A Health Friendly Air perspective
Created On : 2012-09-27 23:53:37
Fungal and bacterial microorganisms are a ubiquitous element of the flora which an individual is exposed to on a daily basis. At Health Friendly Air (HFA) we have acquired significant experience in addressing the occurrence of these issues in businesses and homes and as a result are well placed to d...
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An overview of methods used to evaluate the efficacy of antibacterial treated surfaces and textiles
Created On : 2012-06-28 10:15:11
by Vivienne Mahon PhD a Senior Researcher at airmid healthgroup
In general, rather than being free living, most microorganisms exist attached onto surfaces. These microorganisms then have the potential to transfer to other locations e.g if they come into contact with human skin or food items. If ...
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Environmental Test Chambers: What is their value to industry and how do they improve quality of life.
Created On : 2012-05-04 14:51:37
The often quoted statistic that according to the USA EPA we spend over 80% of our time indoors, and that indoor air quality can be up to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air has new relevance with some recent changes in the indoor ecosystem.
The constant drive for energy efficiency can have a neg...
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Air Conditioners and aerobiology, do we know their impact on ultrafine particles and other airborne pathogens
Created On : 2012-04-18 00:00:00
The New York Times recently published an article in its health section on the problem of ultrafine particles following a recent study published out of Australia. The study has raised serious concerns as to the safety of many of today’s most popular vacuum cleaners but is it confined to vacuum clea...
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Bedbugs - A problem of the past, a bigger problem for the future, who can help?
Created On : 2011-08-17 13:37:23
Special Industry Report produced by airmid healthgroup ltd
By Geraldine Hughes
Geraldine Hughes is Head of Bed Bug Research at airmid healthgroup ltd. Geraldine has a BSc. in Industrial Microbiology and an MSc in Medical Microbiology from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. She has been w...
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Indoor Mold: A serious threat to occupant health
Created On : 2011-08-10 09:31:48
By John Fallon PhD
The ubiquitous presence of aerosolised fungi is a substantial threat to maintaining a quality of indoor air for all occupants. Moreover, the growing prevalence of sick building syndrome (SBS) in damp or water damaged homes and workplaces and the potential ill health caused by exp...
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Toy Safety Study – non-compliance with EN-71
Created On : 2011-08-09 11:18:38
By Tim Yeomans PhD
The Pro-Safe Report released in 2010 makes for very interesting reading. It was a joint market surveillance action on toys, co-ordinated by the Product Safety Enforcement Forum of Europe. The aim of the action was to investigate the safety of toys on the market that have been t...
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Hay Fever - Not to be Sneezed at...
Created On : 2011-08-09 10:47:13
By Tim Yeomans PhD
Hay fever is an allergy to pollen or spores and it causes the inside of your nose to become inflamed. It may also affect the sinuses, throat and eyes. For those with hay fever, the condition can range from mildly irritating to debilitating in its effects. Hay fever normally oc...
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Dimethyl Fumurate in furniture and footwear
Created On : 2011-08-08 16:41:02
By Tim Yeomans PhD
Since 2009 a temporary dimethyl fumarate (DMF) import ban for all member states of the EU has been in place following reports that DMF in leather sofas was associated with severe skin reactions. DMF is an anti-fungal/biocidal agent and is known to cause physical reactions like de...
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Third Party Certification as a sentry to regulate effective, “green” and health friendly cleaning products
Created On : 2011-08-08 16:00:17
By Vivienne Mahon PhD
This article is the second of a series of two extracted from the publication "Cleaning Agents: The Divide - Human Friendly vs Environmentally Friendly" by T.C. Yeomans, N. McKeon, J. McKeon and E.B. Mitchell, which appeared in the cleaning technology journal Tenside Surfacta...
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The Choice Between Traditional and "Green" Cleaning Products - Environmental or Health Concerns?
Created On : 2011-08-04 14:02:58
By Vivienne Mahon PhD
This article is the first of a series of two extracted from the publication "Cleaning Agents: The Divide - Human Friendly vs Environmentally Friendly" by T.C. Yeomans, N. McKeon, J. McKeon and E.B. Mitchell, which appeared in the cleaning technology journal Tenside Surfactants...
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The biology of House Dust Mites and Dust Mite Allergies
Created On : 2011-06-30 15:20:57
By Maire Fox MSc
House Dust Mites (HDM) are a major source of allergen and found in temperate and humid areas. There is widely published data that shows how House Dust Mite avoidance can reduce exposure to allergens. This article looks at the properties of house dust mites and recommendations for r...
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Asthma and Allergy: Indoor Air Quality is Still Key
Created On : 2011-06-01 09:36:29
By Andrea Richardson
The drive for sustainability and energy efficient buildings must not be at the expense of healthy indoor air, particularly for those with asthma and allergies.
As Canadians we spend over 90% of our time indoors, according to the Health Canada website, so the quality of our...
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Allergen barrier filtration testing is more important than ever in textile testing
Created On : 2011-06-01 09:31:43
By Maire Fox MSc
In the March 2011 article in Home Textile Today Editor in Chief Jennifer Marks highlighted the confusion over ‘thread count inflation’ and its lack of meaning. Jennifer expects to see thread count identification to drop into obscurity on packaging.
The issue over thread ...
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Clearing the air on basic facts
Created On : 2011-06-01 07:43:50
asthma and allergies: the renewed importance of clearing the air on some basic facts and figures.
By Niamh McKeon, BA (Mod) Science
Americans spend an estimated $10 billion a year on non-medicinal, consumer products marketed for people with asthma and allergies!
The US Centers for Disease Cont...
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New CDC report on asthma
Created On : 2011-06-01 07:43:50
By Tim Yeomans (PhD)
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recently released a report on Health Statistics for those with asthma; it makes for quite stark reading.
The CDC compiled this report ‘Asthma Prevalence, Health Care Use and Mortality: United States, 2005-2009 based o...
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